FBI Seeks To Raise Hate Crime Awareness In North Carolina

The Charlotte division of the FBI is launching a statewide campaign to raise awareness about federal hate crimes, and is encouraging people to report these offenses to authorities.

The operation is part of a nationwide effort coordinated through FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.

According to a news release, North Carolinians may soon see ads appearing on social media, news websites, buses, and in several airports.

The FBI defines a hate crime as a "criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity."

Robert Wells is Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Charlotte Division. He released a statement saying that no one should fear being targeted for violence because of their looks, where they are from, or any portion of their identity.

According to the FBI crime database, there were 185 reported incidents of hate crimes in North Carolina in 2020. Of those, 147 were related to race, ethnicity, or ancestry.